Ambulance Service

Answer: I know that the hon. Gentleman has already raised this issue with my colleagues. The closure of the emergency service at Lagan Valley hospital is expected to increase patient journeys by probably about three journeys a day. An interim measure has been put in place to cover the emergency surgery, but the board has also identified the need for £150,000 additional funding permanently to manage those effects and is optimistic that it can find those resources to ensure that there will be no detriment to the hon. Gentleman's constituents. We are keeping the matter of the Westlink under review. If it creates a problem because of lengthened journeys and difficulties for ambulances, it will have to be taken into account, and alternative measures will have to be provided to ensure that the hon. Gentleman's constituents will not be disadvantaged.

This is an answer to the Oral question asked on Tuesday, 7 February 2006 by Jeffrey M Donaldson (Democratic Unionist Party).

Question: I welcome what the Minister has said. I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) will welcome the proposal for Banbridge, which covers part of my constituency in the Dromore area. The Minister will be aware of widespread concern in my constituency about the withdrawal of emergency surgery services from the Lagan Valley hospital, and the fact that we have only one ambulance to cover evenings and weekends, with a population in excess of 100,000 people. I hope that the additional ambulance cover that the Minister talked about will be not a short-term solution but a long-term one, particularly in the light of the major roadworks that are about to commence on the Westlink, which will cause considerable traffic congestion on the M1.

Secondary information